About the Study
The study, "Effects of Multivitamin/Mineral (MVM) Supplementation on Plasma Levels of Nutrients," (nutrient absorption study),1 is a secondary publication based on a major NIH-funded human clinical trial.2 The study investigates how long term multivitamin/multimineral supplementation affects riboflavin status and plasma levels of the nutrients vitamins A, B12, C, E, beta-carotene, and folic acid. Participants were healthy well-nourished adults aged 55-75 randomized to receive either a Centrum® 3 or a placebo tablet daily.
The Centrum® tablet provided essential vitamins and minerals at or about the daily recommended levels as established by the IOM, and adopted by the FDA.
The Findings
Compared with the start of the study, vitamin E, beta-carotene, vitamin B12 and folate levels increased in those who were given Centrum® versus those given a sugar pill. Riboflavin levels also improved.
Those assigned Centrum® compared to those assigned the sugar pill also had greater levels of vitamin C in four of the six follow-up visits and greater levels of vitamin A in three of six follow-up visits.
The multivitamin/multimineral had a greater impact on blood levels of vitamins A, E, C and riboflavin in individuals with lower nutritional status at the start of the study, suggesting that the benefits may be greatest for those with lower nutritional status.
What This Means to You
Taking a multivitamin/multimineral supplement like Centrum® daily can help ensure you get recommended amounts of vitamins and minerals important for overall health and well-being.
Effects of Multivitamin/Mineral Supplementation on Plasma Levels of Nutrients: Report No.4 of the Italian-American Clinical Trial of Nutritional Supplements and Age-Related Cataract. Annali dell’Istituto Superiore di Sanità; 45: 119-127.
A Randomized, Double-Masked, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial of Multivitamin Supplementation for Age- Related Lens Opacities: Clinical Trial of Nutritional Supplements and Age-Related Cataract;
Report No.3. Ophthalmology 2008; 115: 599-606.
Pfizer Consumer Healthcare provided the Centrum tablets used in the nine year study, but played no role in the collection, analysis or interpretation of the data or preparation of the study manuscript.

The term 'vitamin' is a combination of the words 'vital' and 'amine.'2 In a nutshell, vitamins are organic substances your body needs to grow and function on a daily basis. Because most of these substances are not produced by the body naturally, they must come from foods and supplements that are eaten.3
Vitamin ABCs
There are 13 essential vitamins that are "must haves." They are vitamins A, C, D, E, K and eight types of B vitamins. Each has a specific duty within our body. All are essential to the daily maintenance and repairs our body needs every day.3 Converting food into energy,4 keeping cells healthy, and supporting the immune system are just a few of the jobs they assist us with.5
Think of vitamins as the oil that makes a squeaky wheel turn. Vitamins assist us with all the essential chemical processes that take place inside our bodies. The loss of any particular vitamin can hamper or block the important metabolic reactions that should be happening inside the cells our bodies need to function properly. Although rare in the United States, inadequate intake of essential vitamins overtime can lead to classical nutrient deficiencies6. For example, vitamin D deficiency, can cause rickets - a softening and weakening of the bones.7 Vitamin B12 deficiency can cause anemia and neurological problems, such as confusion, dementia, depression, and memory loss.8 Vitamin A deficiency can cause night blindness.
A Balancing Act
You get most of the vitamins you need through the foods you eat. Well…at least that’s the way it’s supposed to happen! Unfortunately, this is not always easy in a modern and fast moving world that forever tempts us with quick and tasty foods that might not be very nutritious. And in many cases, even when we think we are "eating healthy," we may not be getting the recommended amount of essential vitamins daily. By the time fresh food gets from a farm to the supermarket, only a small fraction of the nutritional value may still be present in the food. Processing, cooking and storage for extended period of time can have impact on the nutritional value of the food.9, 10, 11 According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), adult Americans do not typically get enough of Vitamins A, C and E, as well as Calcium, Potassium, Fiber, and Magnesium.12
While the best way to get enough vitamins is to eat a balanced diet with a variety of foods, in some cases, you may need to take a daily multivitamin help insure your are getting the recommended amount of vitamins daily. As suggested by the Harvard School of Public Health, "a daily multivitamin is a great nutrition insurance policy."13
Getting Enough of a Good Thing
So exactly how much and how many vitamins do you need every day? If you’re thinking that "if some is good, a lot is better," think again! High doses of some vitamins can have a negative effect on your health. The Food and Nutrition Board of the Institute of Medicine publish recommended dietary allowances highlighting how much of each nutrient most people should be getting on a daily basis. (Remember those fun "Food Pyramids" from high school?) Specific recommendations for each vitamin depend on age, gender, and pregnancy (if applicable).14 If you’re not sure whether you’re getting all the essential vitamins you need every day, consult with your doctor for what is best for you.
Regardless of how high love may rank on your personal necessities list, never underestimate how important vitamins are to maintaining life. Make sure your body gets what it needs to be healthy, and you’ll be loving life for many years to come.
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002399.htm
http://www.elmhurst.edu/~chm/vchembook/5900verviewmet.html
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/vitamins.html
http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm118079.htm
http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/Press_releases/2008/08_11_08.html
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/vitamin-deficiency-anemia/DS00325
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000344.htm
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/prnanmia/prnanmia_signs.html
http://ce.byu.edu/cw/womensconference/archive/2005/sharing_stations/pdf/52a.pdf
http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/Resources/menuplanner_chapter6.pdf
http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/rbs/pub/may05/may05.pdf
http://www.health.gov/dietaryguidelines/dga2005/document/html/chapter2.htm
http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/what-should-you-eat/vitamins/
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002399.htm

Whether it's being able to see at night2 or nourish our skin,3 they assist us with the biological processes that make life possible. Think of them as a 24/7 construction or maintenance crew that helps us to work, grow, and develop properly. While vitamins might not take the spotlight as the crew chief, the various jobs our bodies need to do would not be possible without their help.
Ideally, we get the vitamins we need from the foods we eat.4 In the body, proteins, carbohydrates, and fats combine chemically with other substances to provide energy and build body tissue. Enzymes produced from specific vitamins, initiate or accelerate these chemical reactions.5, 6 For example, the B vitamins help with the formation of active enzymes that help transfer energy from the food we ingest to the body.7
All vitamins have different jobs to do. While vitamins can have very specific tasks, they often work as a team regulating the various biological processes within our bodies.8, 9
How vitamins are actually used and processed by the body depends on their chemical makeup. Vitamins are either water-soluble (such as vitamin C and the B vitamins) or fat-soluble (A, D, E, and K). Water-soluble vitamins are absorbed by the intestine and carried by our blood to specific body tissues where they are needed. Water soluble vitamins such as B2, are easily lost through sweat and urine. Consequently, they must be replenished more often. Fat soluble vitamins on the other hand, can take quite a while to break down and remain in the body longer.
Vitamins, like A and D, get stored in the liver while vitamin E is stored in body fat.10, 11, 12
There are 13 essential vitamins we all need to grow and function on a daily basis. Here is a brief summary for some of the tasks these “essentials” are responsible for within our body.10, 11, 12
Vitamin A helps form and maintains healthy teeth, bones, soft tissue, mucous membranes, and skin.10, 11, 12
Vitamin B6 helps break down proteins, helps maintain normal nerve function and form red blood cells.10, 11, 12
Vitamin B12 is essential for metabolism. It also helps form red blood cells and maintains the central nervous system.10, 11, 12
Vitamin C promotes the health of teeth and gums as well as wound healing.10, 11, 12
Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium, which is important for healthy teeth and bones. It also helps maintain proper blood levels of calcium and phosphorus.10, 11, 12
Vitamin E is an antioxidant that plays a role in the formation of red blood cells.10, 11, 12
Vitamin K is required for normal coagulation of the blood. Some studies suggest that it helps maintain bone health in the elderly.10, 11, 12
Biotin is essential for the metabolism of proteins and carbohydrates, and in the production of hormones and cholesterol.10, 11, 12
Niacin helps maintain healthy skin and nerves. It also has cholesterol-lowering effects.10, 11, 12
Folate works with vitamin B12 to help form red blood cells. It is also necessary for the production of DNA which controls tissue growth and cell function.10, 11, 12
Pantothenic acid is essential for the metabolism of food. It is also plays a role in the production of hormones and cholesterol.10, 11, 12
Riboflavin (B2) works with the other B vitamins. It is important for body growth and the production of red blood cells.10, 11, 12
Thiamine (B1) helps the body’s cells change carbohydrates into energy. It is also essential for heart function and healthy nerve cells.10, 11, 12
If you’re not sure whether you’re getting all the essential vitamins you need every day from your diet, consult with a nutritionist or your doctor, and consider the added benefits of taking a daily multivitamin.
http://www.umaine.edu/wellness/nutlinks.htm
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/vitamins.html
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002399.htm
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002399.htm
http://themedicalbiochemistrypage.org/vitamins.html, Michael W. King, Ph.D / IU School of Medicine
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/bookshelf/br.fcgi?book=stryer&part=A1088
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/bookshelf/br.fcgi?book=cooper&part=A279
http://www.lifeclinic.com/focus/nutrition/nutritionview.asp?artId=973
http://www.fda.gov/forconsumers/consumerupdates/ucm118079.htm
Chemical Composition of Everyday Products by John Toedt, Darrell Koza, Kathleen Van Cleef-Toedt, pp. 124 - 126
http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/foodnut/09315.html
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002399.htm

Think of your multivitamin as low-cost nutrition insurance. Try as you may to get all your nutrients from a balanced diet, you probably fall short some days. In fact, as many as 80 percent of Americans don't eat the recommended minimum of five servings of fruits and vegetables a day. That's why some nutrition experts now recommend that all adults take a daily multivitamin.
Ref: (Fairfield + Fletcher, JAMA 2002)
Vitamins and minerals work together to keep the body growing and functioning normally. They help convert food into energy, keep cells healthy, and support the immune system. Vitamins and minerals also help your body use the proteins, carbohydrates, and fats in your diet.
Here are some of the ways that multivitamins may help:
Support immunity. Poor nutrition is an open invitation to poor health. Research suggests that getting the recommended amounts of vitamins and minerals your body needs daily is a factor in the maintenance of good health. Studies also suggest taking a daily multivitamin may help maintain your immune function.
Neutralize Free Radical Damage: Antioxidants such as beta-carotene, lycopene, and Vitamins C and E, which are also found in many daily multivitamins, are substances that help protect cells from the damage caused by unstable molecules known as free radicals.
Maintain strong bones. You probably already know that Calcium is critical for healthy bones. But did you know that recent studies confirm that Vitamin D is just as important for maintaining strong bones? Yet it's difficult to get this nutrient through diet alone. Vitamin D is produced in the skin following direct exposure to sunlight. But necessary use of sunscreen, weak winter sunlight, and poor skin absorption all work against this vital nutrient. And while Vitamin D is added to milk, many people don't drink enough dairy products to benefit. Taking a multivitamin with 400 international units (IU) of Vitamin D may help.

People often ask me about the dietary supplements I take and which ones I give to my children. As a registered dietitian, food comes first with me, and I work hard to eat a balanced diet and encourage my kids do the same. Food packs hundreds of beneficial compounds considered necessary for energy and wellness, such as protein, carbohydrate, fat, fiber, water, vitamins, and minerals.
That said, nobody eats an exemplary diet every day, including my family. According to the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, they’re no different from the millions of other adults and children that regularly miss out on important vitamins and minerals. Because they are still growing, I want to make sure my children don’t have any dietary gaps for the nutrients they need to develop properly. That’s why they take a daily chewable multivitamin with no more than 100% of the Daily Value for the vitamins and minerals it provides.
As for my husband and myself, I operate on the principle that depending on your health goals, age, and stage of life, you may need more of certain vitamins and minerals than you can get from food alone. That’s why we both take a daily multivitamin.
The multivitamin I take insures that I get enough folic acid and iron I need; these nutrients are identified by the DGA as “nutrients of concern” in women of childbearing age. His pill provides very little iron because a man’s needs are much lower than a woman in her childbearing years, and can, generally speaking, be satisfied with diet.
Vitamin B12 has been flagged by the DGA in adults over the age of 50 because they are not able to absorb as much naturally-occurring vitamin B12 from foods as their younger counterparts. People over the age of 50, like my husband, should get the bulk of their vitamin B12 from dietary supplements or fortified foods.
The entire family takes vitamin D on a daily basis. Vitamin D helps the body absorb and use calcium, but it’s difficult to get the vitamin D you need without dietary supplements. For one thing, few foods provide vitamin D. For another, when you live in the northern part of the country, like we do, you don’t make any vitamin D in response to sunlight for about half the year. While my children drink the recommended three glasses of vitamin D-fortified milk daily, that only amounts to 300 International Units (IU) of vitamin D and the suggested amount is 600 IU daily. A vitamin D supplement fills in the gap between what they get from food and what they should be consuming.
Dietary supplements are just that – supplements – and not substitutes for health eating. For example, they can’t provide the energy, fluid, or fiber you need to support good health. But they are useful for shoring up diets that provide less than the recommended levels for nutrients that affect your well-being, and your family’s.

Ideally, you would get all your vitamins and essential minerals from your diet, although some of them, like vitamin E or D and calcium, may be hard to get even from a healthful diet. As a “health insurance,” and to fill known gaps in certain vitamins and essential minerals in the average US diet, I recommend the following supplements:
Multivitamins/minerals: Take a multivitamin/mineral supplement with 100% of the Daily Value (DV) for most vitamins and essential minerals, keeping the following suggestions in mind:
Iron: In general, men and postmenopausal women should take a multivitamin/mineral supplement without iron.
Vitamin A: Look for a multivitamin/mineral supplement containing no more than 2,500 IU (750 mcg) of preformed vitamin A (usually labeled vitamin A acetate or vitamin A palmitate) and no more than 2,500 IU of additional vitamin A as beta-carotene. Smokers should not take supplemental beta-carotene.
Vitamin C: Aim for a daily intake of at least 400 mg. Multivitamins/minerals usually provide 60 mg of vitamin C, and five servings of fruits and vegetables provide about 200 mg. A 250-mg supplement taken twice daily, or taking a single supplement of 500 mg or 1,000 mg, will ensure near-maximal plasma concentrations in healthy people.
Vitamin D: Take 2,000 IU (50 mcg) of supplemental vitamin D daily. Most multivitamins/minerals contain 400 IU of vitamin D, and single-ingredient vitamin D supplements are available for additional supplementation. To ensure adequate body vitamin D status, aim for a serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D level of at least 80 nmol/L (32 ng/mL).
Calcium: No multivitamin/mineral supplement contains 100% of the DV for calcium. If your total daily calcium intake doesn't add up to 1,000 mg, take an extra calcium supplement (combined with magnesium—see below) with a meal to make up the difference.
Magnesium: No multivitamin/mineral supplement contains 100% of the DV for magnesium. If you don’t eat plenty of green leafy vegetables, whole grains, and nuts, you likely are not getting enough magnesium from your diet. If you add a magnesium supplement, take a combined supplement with calcium containing 133-250 mg of magnesium and 333-500 mg of calcium with a meal.
Fish Oil: If you don't regularly consume fish, consider taking a two-gram fish oil supplement several times a week. If you are prone to bleeding or take anticoagulant drugs, consult your physician.
Lipoic Acid and L-Carnitine: Healthy adults over the age of 50 may consider a daily supplement of 200-400 mg of alpha-lipoic acid and 500-1,000 mg of acetyl-L-carnitine.
Disclaimer
This information is made available with the understanding that the author and publisher are not providing medical, psychological, or nutritional counseling services. The information is not intended as medical advice for individual problems and should not be used in place of a consultation with a competent health care or nutrition professional. Liability for individual actions or omissions based upon the information is expressly disclaimed.

National surveys consistently reveal that older adults often fall far short of meeting their nutritional requirements from their diet. This is partly due to their dietary choices, age-related impairments in their ability to absorb and utilize some nutrients, medication-induced nutrient deficiencies, and increased nutrient requirements due to common chronic conditions. While dietary supplements should never be considered as substitutes to a healthy diet, a typical multivitamin supplement with minerals can help substantially to fill the gap between usual nutrient intakes and requirements. Several leading nutrition authorities feel that a daily multivitamin is a prudent and pro-active health behavior for most people and especially for older adults. Sometimes additional supplementation beyond a multivitamins may be necessary; for example, most multivitamins do not contain enough calcium or vitamin D for older adults though there are products available that are formulated specifically for seniors. Inadequate blood levels of vitamin D are common among older people in part because of age-related changes in the skin that impair its synthesis by ultraviolet radiation from sunlight, low intake of vitamin D fortified milk, spending more time inside, and using topical sun screen when outside. Several clinical trials have demonstrated that supplements of calcium and vitamin D can reduce the risk of osteoporosis and lower the incidence of bone fractures. Emerging research suggests that vitamin D may play a role in supporting immune function.
Over the last decade, research has been emerging that suggests generous intakes, often readily obtained only via supplementation, may play a role in promoting health among older people. For example, studies indicate that supplementation with vitamins C and E, lutein (a dietary carotenoid), omega-3 fatty acids (particularly from fish oil), and zinc may support eye health. Emerging research also suggests that people with high concentrations of folic acid and vitamin B12 in their blood may be less likely to develop certain health problems. High intakes of fish or supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids have been associated in several studies with healthy blood lipid levels. In this new age of personalized nutrition, research is being conducted on which genotypes may be associated with benefits from vitamin E.

It is always a challenge to eat healthfully and know you are getting the right amount of essential nutrients and other important dietary constituents like fiber and phytochemicals. This challenge is even harder for adults over 50 years as their physical activity and the total amount of food they consume declines with advancing age. While eating less may result in fewer calories consumed and match their lower energy (calorie) requirement, it becomes harder to meet their requirement for vitamins and minerals which remain the same as younger adults or, in some cases as recent research shows, are actually higher. Therefore, it is more important for older adults to choose mostly nutrient-rich foods like fruit and vegetables, whole grains, eggs, fish, and low-fat dairy products and eat less of foods like cookies, candies, and potato chips.
As our bodies grow older, they have different needs and certain nutrients become especially important to support good health. Aging is associated with a loss of bone (osteopenia or osteoporosis) and muscle (sarcopenia) as well as decrements in the function of the blood vessels, kidney, lungs, eyes, and other tissues. Getting all the nutrients you need could help slow down some of these changes. For example, older adults need more calcium and vitamin D to maintain their bone health and more vitamin B6 to maintain their metabolism of carbohydrate, fat, and protein than younger people require. These changes become even more marked in people over 70 years old. Further, due to age-associated decreases in the acidity of their stomach, many older people cannot readily absorb nutrients like iron, folic acid, and vitamin B12, essential nutrients important for many functions including the support of healthy red blood cells. Though often not thought of as a nutrient, water is essential for everyone but, as we age, thirst is not triggered as well even as we become dehydrated, so special attention is needed to avoid this problem. Foods and beverages with a high water content such as fruit, vegetable juice, and low-sodium soups can be important in maintaining good hydration in older people.
In addition to the aging process itself, a number of drugs can impair the absorption and use of nutrients in the body. As older people take more medications and take them more frequently than other age group, particular attention is needed to their nutrition by healthcare providers. For examples, antacids impair the absorption of folic acid, vitamin B12, and zinc; some diuretics (water pills) increase the elimination of calcium, potassium, and thiamin; and some anti-inflammatory drugs counteract the effects of vitamin C, folic acid, and iron. Supplementation with these nutrients may be necessary to offset these untoward side effects of the drugs.
If you are over 50, you can help face the challenge of meeting your nutrient needs and supporting body functions by choosing more whole grains and fortified cereals, bright-colored vegetables like carrots and broccoli, deep-colored fruit such as berries and melon, and low- or non-fat dairy products like yogurt. You should also try to get more “good fats” by eating fish and nuts and seeds and selecting sources of high quality protein like eggs, dry beans, and poultry. And a multivitamin supplement with minerals can help ensure that no shortfall in essential nutrients occurs while you are working toward this goal.

Full disclosure: I’m wearing glasses as I write this. In fact, if I didn’t, I wouldn’t be able to see the words clearly on my computer screen. This out-of-focus world has become a fact of life for me ever since I turned 40. Not only am I dependent on my glasses to stare at my computer screen, but also to read the fine type on any packaging—and even just stare at my dinner plate!
Needless to say, I never leave home without my reading glasses. And, I’m actually finding that I have them wear more and more these days!
But, come to find out, I’m not alone. Statistics show that, by the age of 50, if you haven’t worn glasses, you’re probably going to need your first pair. If, like me, you already own reading glasses, this is when you start to need a stronger prescription.
The reason behind this is kind of fascinating: it’s not (as I thought) that our eyes “deteriorate” as we get older. Thank goodness for this! It’s actually because the lens of our eye is still growing (it’s actually the only part of our eye that continues to grow as we get older)—but our ability to adapt to this changing lens is what’s slowing down, causing the world to become a little out of focus.
And, while you can’t change this natural process (other than getting glasses), there are some things you can do every day to protect the health of your eyes—and your vision. The fact of the matter is: 80 percent of vision loss is preventable if you maintain good eye health. (Needless to say, I’m already incorporating all of these tips into my routine!)
Take a break from your computer. As you can imagine, I spend a lot of time at my computer, but the one thing I didn’t realize: how little I blink when I’m staring at the screen. This is a problem. We blink, on average, about 12 times every minute—but not while we’re at the computer where we typically stare straight ahead for sometimes hours. Blinking helps to wash tears over our eyeballs that keep them clean and moist—and prevent them from drying out.
What I do now: the 20-20-20 rule. For every 20 minutes at the computer, I look away 20 feet (basically at something in the distance) for 20 seconds.
Eat salmon. Getting enough omega-3 fatty acids—found in foods like salmon, chia seeds, and flaxseed—in your diet every day helps support healthy eyes.* † (I eat salmon, but like to add chia seeds to my morning smoothies; you barely know they’re in there!). If you’re not a fish lover or find it hard to get omega-3s in your diet every day, omega-3 fatty acid supplements (like Centrum® ProNutrients® Omega-3) are a good option, in addition to your daily multivitamin.
See an eye doctor—every one or two years—even if you don’t have vision problems. Think about it this way: During any 24-hour period, our eyes will move about 100,000 times. That's equivalent to walking 50 miles every day! Getting a regular “physical” exam—with an eye doctor or ophthalmologist—is key to keeping your eyes in top form so they can continue to perform properly. Also, an eye doctor is the only one who can diagnose the most common diseases of the eye, like glaucoma. In some cases, he or she can even detect signs of diabetes, high blood pressure, and stroke risk in the blood vessels of the eye—long before they show up as symptoms in the rest of the body.
Get plenty of green, orange, and red fruits and veggies in your diet—every day. Sure, we’ve all heard that eating carrots is good for your eyesight. But what’s actually more important: a group of foods called carotenoids (of which carrots are part) that are key to vision. Carotenoids are nutrients that give an orange-yellow and red pigment to fruits and vegetables (think: mangoes, squash, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, and red grapefruit). These foods are all rich in beta-carotene, a form of vitamin A that helps produce pigments in the retina—key to seeing in the dark and poorly lit areas.
Carotenoids are found, too, in dark green leafy vegetables like spinach and kale. These leafy greens are also rich in nutrients like lutein and zeaxanthin that scientists§ have discovered are found in the portion of the eye where light is focused by the lens.
Always wear a pair of sunglasses when outdoors. Look for lenses that block 99 to 100 percent of the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays. According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, without UV protection, your eyes are more vulnerable to diseases that cause vision loss— like macular degeneration and cataracts— as well as to cancers of the eyes and eyelid. UV glasses will also prevent eyestrain from squinting on bright, sunny days.
Forget 50 shades of grey. 500 shades of grey is what the average eye can distinguish…but not if your sunglasses have colored lenses. While grey lenses actually offer the truest color distinction (making it better for art lovers), brown lenses create greater color contrast in monotone surfaces like boating and ski slopes, and yellow lenses are better for depth perception—good for golfers and bicyclists. Polarized lenses—of any color—are good for driving and water/snow sports because they reduce glare, increasing visibility.
One last bit of advice before I sign off: eyes truly are the windows not only to body health—but also to the soul. Next time you meet up with someone, look him or her in the eye; that’s the best way to show him or her that you’re honest and interested in what they have to say. Stay well!
†“Short-term Consumption of Oral Omega-3 and Dry Eye Syndrome”, Ophthalmology; 2013 May 1. pii: S0161-6420(13)00337-0. doi: 10.1016/j.ophtha.2013.04.006.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23642375
§“Lutein and zeaxanthin in eye and skin health,” Journal of Clinical Dermatology; 2009 Mar-Apr;27(2):195-201. doi: 10.1016/j.clindermatol.2008.01.011.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19168000

During pregnancy and breastfeeding, moms are the sole source of nutrition for their developing child. While every nutrient matters, certain vitamins and minerals play vital roles in supporting mothers-to-be and breastfeeding moms.

‡Vitamins A, C, and E, and Lutein help support healthy eyes. This product is not intended to provide daily intake of Lutein. Take with a diet rich in fruits and vegetables.

¥B-Vitamins support daily energy needs.*

^Vitamins C and E support normal immune function.*

±B-vitamins aid in the metabolism of fats, carbohydrates, and proteins.*

«Lutein and Zeaxanthin to help improve the eyes natural response to glare. Emerging science suggests nutrients such as Lutein and Zeaxanthin help support healthy/normal macular pigment which plays a role in the eye’s ability to respond after exposure to glare/adjustment to changes in light.*

∇Among leading eye multivitamin supplement brands.

^^Refers to Lutein, Zeaxanthin, and Vitamins A, C, and E.

µBased on number of nutrients; Among leading Women / Men 50+ multivitamin brands.

»Among leading men’s and women’s gummy multivitamins.

>Biotin, Vitamins A, C, and E help maintain healthy appearance.*

<Vitamins D and B6 help support muscle function.*

♦A combination of Vitamin D and calcium helps maintain strong bones*

•B-Vitamins help support heart health, brain health, energy and metabolism. Vitamins A, C, E and zinc help support normal immune function and healthy eyes. Calcium and vitamin D help support bone health.* Adequate calcium and vitamin D are necessary for bone health. Centrum® MultiGummies® [Men/Adult] and Centrum® VitaMints® do not contain calcium. Take with a calcium-rich diet.

∞Includes 11 nutrients to support whole body health including B-vitamins to support heart health, zinc and B-vitamins to support normal brain function, and Vitamins A, C, and E to support healthy eyes.* Not a replacement for cholesterol-lowering drugs.